Lost Time
by Xanpluto
Summary: It is rare to witness a crack in Ryoma's facade, but after not seeing Sakuno for six years he's in store for multiple surprises that shake his foundation and make him question his priorities in life.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello, I've disregarded my own policy of not publishing a story until the work is completely finished. However, I'm uncertain as to how this story will end and I decided to ask for impute. I hope you enjoy._

_Also note, I don't use honorifics in this story._

_~Xanpluto_

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It was their graduation party. The last celebration of their high school lives. After this it was college, trade school, real jobs, and of course an international tour for one soon to be celebrity tennis player. It was truly the last night of their childhood.

For some students this held especially true. As part of tradition the punch had been spiked with vodka. Being unaccustomed to alcohol Sakuno Ryuzaki felt the sway in her step even after two drinks. Her face was flushed and her mouth was running like it never before. Honestly, her friends had never seen her so talkative. With all that energy came the chugging of a third glass of punch; that was her peak. She began to go downhill into wooziness and weary.

"What's wrong with wobbly hips?" Ryoma said to Horio as they looked across the room as Sakuno tried to walk over to a chair and ended up tripping over herself instead.

"Oh no!" Horio shouted as he rushed to his friend. He, too, had a slight sway because he and Ryoma had also been sipping the punch but it wasn't nearly as bad as Sakuno's.

"Sakuno! Sakuno, are you alright?" Horio asked worriedly as he helped Sakuno to her feet. Ryoma was conveniently there to grab her other arm when she didn't seem stable enough to stand on her own.

"I feel fun-nnnny." Sakuno said in a slow, happy voice with a slight slur.

"I should get you home." Horio offered.

"No." A voice said as a body appeared in front of the trio. "Horio, I want you to come dance with me."

"Tomoka?" Horio said shocked. It was fairly obviously to everyone that he had had a crush on her since their last year of middle school. He would've done anything for her. Then again, he didn't feel quite right abandoning Sakuno. Tomoka had the solution.

"Ryoma, why don't you take her home? I know you don't really like these types of events plus Sakuno's house is on your way home." She said peppily.

Ryoma looked from Horio's pleading eyes to Sakuno's sloppy face and reluctantly agreed, "Fine."

"You're my best friend!" Horio exclaimed as Tomoka dragged him away with a smirk on her face. Ryoma was stuck with the useless Sakuno.

"Can you walk?" He asked annoyed. Sakuno nodded her head and Ryoma helped her shuffle out of the school. As they got outside she nearly tripped on the stairs despite his support. "Mada mada dane."

"Sor-rry."

Ryoma bent down in front of Sakuno and said, "Jump on."

Sakuno did so awkwardly and Ryoma was able to hoist her onto his back. Her arms dangled loosely over his shoulders and he could feel her hot breath on the back of his neck as he began walking home.

Again she repeated with a slight slur, "I'm sor-rry Ryo-ma."

"It's fine." He said. Sakuno's sincerity was beginning to make him feel guilty for his obvious annoyance at her earlier. She was, as Tomoka pointed out, at least giving him an excuse to leave early.

The rest of their walk was completely silent. Only when Ryoma was a block from Sakuno's house did he ask if her Grandma was home.

"No," Sakuno said clearer than before and quite sadly, "she went to visit my mom."

Ryoma decided not to ask about Sakuno's mother. It was the first time he'd ever heard Sakuno mention her mother and he didn't want to dive into any sensitive family issues.

"Do you have the key?"

"In my pocket." Sakuno said softly. When Ryoma reached the front door he set Sakuno down and she rummaged around in her coat pocket until she finally produced a small, gold key attached to a tennis racket keychain. She stuck it into the lock, opened the door, walked over the threshold, and tripped on her face.

"Mada mada dane." Ryoma repeated again as he helped her get up. "Come on, I better make sure you don't die before you reach your bed."

"Thanks." Sakuno said taking his offered hand to walk up to her bedroom. It was the first time Ryoma had been inside her room and he was honestly surprised at what he saw. Not only were there pictures of famous tennis stars but the walls were completely covered in an arrangement of doodles. He had no idea Sakuno had any talent.

Ryoma was so distracted by the drawings that he let go of Sakuno's hand and went to examine them closer. "These are pretty good." He finally said handing out a rare compliment

"Thanks." Sakuno replied and only then did Ryoma turn his head to face her. What he saw shocked him.

"Sakuno! What are you doing? You can't change in front of a boy. You have to wait until I leave the room to change!" He shouted with his mouth agape. Sakuno was standing only in her lace panties and pink bra. She held a nightgown in her hand but didn't move any faster to put it on. Rather, the alcohol made her bold and she simply looked at Ryoma with a steady stare.

"It doesn't matter; I can trust you. You've had six years in which I'd happily take my clothes off for you. If you haven't taken advantage of it by now I doubt you ever will."

Ryoma's mouth dropped. This was not what he expected her to say. It made Ryoma look at her in a totally different light. More like an independent women than a little girl. She'd grown taller, bustier, and those wobbly hips had turned into perfectly positioned curves. Even her hair had been cut shorter and into a fashionable hairstyle. She was a true beauty inside and out.

And, as much as Ryoma didn't want to admit it, he felt something for her in that instant. His heart did a little ping. He desperately tried to ignore it; he had such great body control. In fact, he'd been controlling his own unsteadiness after drinking alcohol so well that he doubted anyone noticed anything different; only he felt a change.

"Ryoma, you're staring at me?" Sakuno said unsurely. She hadn't faltered a step from her place across the room but somehow she seemed closer. Ryoma finally noticed he had been the one to take a few steps closer to her.

"I better go." There was something weird and foreign in Ryoma's voice that both he and Sakuno were shocked by. It seemed like genuine emotion. What type of emotion Ryoma didn't know, but Sakuno did.

Sakuno's own heart skipped. She'd thought she'd given up on Ryoma but now that he sounded hesitant to leave her own feelings resurfaced. She glided over to Ryoma and grabbed his sleeve softly.

"Please stay."

Ryoma looked from her head to the plead in her eyes and was suddenly overwhelmed by something he had only heard others speak about. He felt longing and passion. He let his inhibitions fly away and finally began to ask like a real teenage boy. He placed his lips on Sakuno's and kissed her like she'd never been kissed before. He kissed her so hard he literally took her breath away. When she gasped for breath he began to kiss the edge of her jaw, her ear, her neck.

Sakuno couldn't be happier. She dropped her nightgown and wrapped her hands around his neck feeling the softness of his dark, green hair. Ryoma guided her to her bed where they quickly knocked off the few stuffed animals for more room. Both sets of hands began to wander every inch of skin. Ryoma had his shirt off revealing such muscled abs that Sakuno literally felt a little faint at the sight.

That feeling only continued as he touched her in the most blissful ways over and over again. Eventually the last of their energy went to wrapping their arms around each other and falling asleep.

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Sakuno awoke to rustle and a soft clink of metal. She opened her eyes and saw Ryoma putting on his belt. For a split second she was in shock that Ryoma was standing in her bedroom then she remembered the events of the previous night and looked down to make sure the sheets were covering every inch of her flushed, naked body.

"Ryoma?" She asked unsurely.

Ryoma looked over at her with an empty look on his face. She didn't know if it was some cool facade or if he didn't feel any emotion towards what they'd been doing all night. "My mom called. I need to get home."

"Oh." Sakuno said unsurely.

Ryoma buttoned his suit jacket and said, "See you later" before walking out the door. Sakuno didn't even have time to say goodbye or thank him for one of the best nights of her life. And unless he intended "later" to be years later, Ryoma lied. They weren't to see each other for another six years.

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_Please give feedback. Thank You._


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello again and thank you for reading. _

_First off, I'd like to thank the reviewers LolaTheSa, Ryochanlover, Guest, heartluv, Rukatsumikaru; those that added this to their alerts AliveAliceRocking122500, ScarletFire93, Waisk, hapiflower, reader713, sky dreamer97, and spiritstar; and espiciallyScarlettFire93 and Tokishimo Rika for favoriting this story. _

_I hope you all find this chapter as good at the previous one and continue to review, alert, and favorite. Also, feel free to leave your questions and thoughts on the plot progression._

_~Xanpluto_

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Ryoma left Japan five days after his high school graduation party. Anyone who saw him in those five days would swear he was acting off. Not only had his devotion to tennis exponentially increased, if that were possible, but any free moment he had was spent in a complete daze. Once again, not a normal daze. He was thoughtful, detached, and perhaps a bit uneasy. No one had thought it important enough to bother the Prince and thus no one could correct him in his errors.

Sakuno was also a bit off in those few days; however, despite her recent transition into the adult world, her mind was busy with other thoughts. Her grandmother, Sumire, had called to report Sakuno's mother's failing condition. Sakuno was on the next flight to see them. Her mother died a week later and Sakuno cried for a month. It was at the end of this month that Sakuno's tears fell because of something else: she was pregnant. She, being as naive as she was, didn't believe it to be possible. She thought it was grief causing her to feel sick; she'd been too distraught to pay much attention to her menstrual cycle. Tomoka was the one that set her straight and immediately demanding an explanation. Sakuno didn't give it; not to Tomoka or her grandmother.

Sumire was furious, but no matter her fury Sakuno wouldn't budge. She said she didn't want the father to be blamed or burdened. It was exactly something Sakuno would say.

Sakuno postponed going to Art school in order to have her child and honestly she'd have it no other way. Her daughter, Minako, was the best and sweetest thing in her life. Sumire was also happy to have a little girl running around the house once more. Both she and Tomoka quickly made guesses about who the father was but they never said anything. They knew the situation was painful for Sakuno to discuss. They saw it everyday when Sakuno would stare into her daughter's catlike eyes with sadness.

Then one night after dinner near Minako's fifth birthday, Sakuno went to visit Sumire. She had had a massive heart attack and two subsequent surgeries a few months prior and had been moved to a nursing home for 24/7 supervision while she recovered. Sakuno and Minako visited nearly every day and on this particular day Sumire made a shocking announcement.

"I talked to Nanjiro today," she began and Sakuno's interest was peaked, "Ryoma is returning home for a tournament next week."

"Oh." Sakuno tried not to sound interested. It wasn't the first time he'd returned but they'd never seen each other.

"Yes, it's been a little less than six years since you saw him, right? Maybe you should give him a call this time and talk. I got his number." Sumire slid a piece of paper across the table. Sakuno stared at it for a very long time.

Sakuno didn't feel right telling someone they had a daughter over the phone or by email, and the few times Ryoma had returned to Japan she'd been sick or busy. She had had an excuse not to tell Ryoma so far, but now she didn't know what to do.

Sakuno pocketed the paper and said her goodbyes to Sumire. When she went home she put Minako to sleep before pulling the paper out and staring at it. Her mind raced with indecision and even when it found sleep it was not at peace. She woke up trembling with guilt and finally decided she would meet with Ryoma and tell the truth.

Ryoma would be lying if he said he wasn't glad to hear from Sakuno. He still thought about her; she was, after all, his first. After they'd spent the night together his whole world changed; he realized that maybe there was something more to the world than tennis and Karupin. He even found himself comparing all of his subsequent flings to her. None of them seemed to have Sakuno's combination of beauty and pleasant personality.

He felt horrible for leaving her in the way he had; she didn't deserve it. He realized now how stupid and immature he had been. At the time he needed to get home to ease his mother's fretting and his father's nagging. Then, he had to prepare for America. In the years since he should have called her but he couldn't confront his enormous guilt.

When Sakuno asked to meet for dinner he agreed immediately. He believed that he needed to dispense his guilt or else his tennis would not improve further.

Ryoma was happy when he saw Sakuno enter the restaurant. She was the same petite and sweet girl he had known throughout school except that now she looked a bit more like a woman. He stood up to greet her and her face immediately turned red. He inwardly smiled, it was the same blush he remembered.

"Ryoma." She said in greeting.

"Sakuno." He replied. They both sat down and stared at their hands in silence. It was Sakuno who first looked up into the face of her old crush. He felt her eyes on him and raised his gaze. "How long has it been?"

"Since graduation."

"Ah, right."

"You don't come to Japan often, is it weird to be back?"

Ryoma hadn't really thought about it before. Yes, he was Japanese but he'd spent at least half his life living abroad. It was neither strange nor normal to be in Japan. "Not particularly."

"You didn't come back for the five year reunion."

"I was busy." Ryoma didn't specifically remember what he'd been doing but given he was always busy he just assumed this was the case.

"Ah." Sakuno said letting the conversation fizzle into silence. Luckily, the waiter saved them and came to take their drink orders. When he left Ryoma watched Sakuno fiddle with her napkin. He noticed no ring and assumed she wasn't married. He didn't know how to ask if she had a boyfriend. Not that, mind you, he was extremely interested in dating her. He just wanted to see the type of man she would end up with.

"What do you do?"

"Pardon?" Sakuno hadn't expected Ryoma to break the silence again. Apparently, he'd improved at proper social conduct in the last few years.

"Do you have a job?"

"Oh, I work at a book store part time to pay for art school."

"You're about to graduate?" Ryoma assumed given the many years that had passed.

Sakuno blushed and he didn't understand why, "No, I just started this year."

"What took so long?" Not only did Sakuno's blush remain but he also noticed that her hands began to tremble.

"Life happened." Sakuno refused to look him in the eyes and again the conversation was silent. Then, she took a deep breath and sighed. Ryoma looked at her with great interest. "Ryoma, the truth is...

"Huh?" Sakuno's voice had gotten so quiet that Ryoma couldn't hear what she had said. Sakuno opened her mouth to begin again but her phone rang.

"I should get this." Sakuno said picking up her phone quickly. Ryoma nodded and Sakuno answered the phone while turning her body away from Ryoma.

"Is something wrong, Rei?-she must have sneaked some milk last night, I keep telling her it will only make her sick-I'll be right there-No, I insist. I'll be there as soon as I can-bye." Sakuno hung up the phone with a sorrowful expression on her face and checked the time. "I'm sorry, Ryoma. I need to catch the next train."

"Huh?" Ryoma stood up as she stood.

"Something has happened and I've got to go? It was nice seeing you again." Sakuno shouldered her bag and turned to go.

"Sakuno?" He called after her. She turned slightly to see him and smiled.

"It wasn't meant to be. I'll call you in another six years." She left.

Ryoma sat back in his chair stunned. Sakuno was the same, but she had changed. He didn't remember her ever making him feel so confused or hung out to dry before. He'd never imagined her as leaving him. Honestly, he didn't know what he expected from this little dinner of theirs but this definitely was not it.

Ryoma stood up, threw 1500 yen on the table, and ran to catch up with Sakuno. It would not be another six years before they saw each other again. From the corner of his eyes he saw long brunette hair fly down the subway entrance across the street; he did not wait for the light to change to catch up with her. It was strange. He was not acting like the cool and calm Ryoma everyone knew. Suddenly, he was acting stupid and irrational.

He spotted Sakuno enter a train and barely managed to slide in after her. "Sakuno?" He said slightly out of breath.

"Ryoma?" She said in complete shock. Just then the train lurched forward and she fell into Ryoma's body.

"Woobly hips." He smirked.

Sakuno blushed and straightened herself up again. "What are you doing?"

"Following you."

"Following me?" Sakuno asked as if she couldn't comprehend the idea of the Ryoma Echizen following her onto a train.

"You said something wasn't meant to be; what is that something?"

Sakuno looked down, water coming to her eyes. Ryoma immediately panicked; even after being in a few relationships he didn't know how to deal with crying girls. Whenever his girlfriends cried he either waited for them to stop or he walked away. Most girls dumped him after calling him heartless.

Sakuno didn't look up. She stared at her feet and began to speak softly. "Ryoma you-re a goo-d person and yo-u have an amaz-ing tennis career. We all knew you-d be fam-ous one day so-I did something bad. I didn-t want to hurt your fu-ture so I didn-t tell you. I didn-t want you to hav-e to make a h-ard decision so I mad-e it for you."

Sakuno was fully sobbing at this point and people were beginning to give them weird looks in the train car. Ryoma didn't even notice, he was too confused. "Huh?"

"It was the nigh-t after graduat-ion. The las-t time we saw each oth-er."

"Huh?" Ryoma said again. Sakuno finally looked up at him.

"You're so-dense Ryoma."

Ryoma just looked at her with his cat eyes wide and lost.

"I-ll show yo-u." Sakuno grabbed Ryoma's arm and dragged him out of the train, to the side walk, and down a familiar path to her Grandmother's house. He didn't say anything the entire time.

"Ryoma-please don't hat-e me."

Ryoma, being as confused as he was, couldn't even respond to her comment. He didn't know how he could ever hate her, she was the most sincere and sweetest person he'd ever met. In a different moment he might have tried to tell her that. Instead, he followed Sakuno into the house.

A young, plump women was standing there with a mop in her hand. She looked from Sakuno to Ryoma several times, her eyes widening more as a realization hit her.

"Where is she?"

"I put her to bed after she threw up again."

"Thank-you." Sakuno said pulling Ryoma up the stairs. She took him to a door with stickers forming the name Minako on its surface. Sakuno opened the door and turned on the light.

"Mommy?" A voice groaned in anguish. Sakuno rushed over to a tiny bed where a little girl was sitting up. Ryoma just froze. The girl looked at him and he felt his heart stop. Ryoma was dense, but he wasn't so dense that he couldn't recognize the reflection of his golden cat eyes shining back at him. He wasn't so dense that he couldn't recognize the similar green-black sheen of the little girl's hair.

"I told you not to drink any milk. The doctor says you have an allergy. Are you still feeling icky?" Sakuno had composed her voice and gave the girl a hug.

The girl didn't respond, her eyes were still focused on Ryoma and she looked just as bewildered as he felt. Sakuno followed her gaze.

"Ah yes, Ryoma this is my daughter Minako. Minako this is mommy's friend Ryoma."

Ryoma couldn't say anything. He was too much in shock. However, Minako laughed, "He's got my eyes."

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_Please leave feedback._


	3. Chapter 3

_Hello again,_

_I hadn't planned on releasing the next chapter for a few days alas I felt pressured by the reviews and caved._

_LolaTheSa brought up how Ryoma, in chapter 2, seemed a bit out of character with all his "huh"s and etc. This is absolutely true. Then again, after six years I like to imagine that he's grown up some and isn't quite the unemotional, immature boy he used to be. Further, imagine you just figured out you were a parent; you'd probably be a bit OOC, too._

_As always my thanks go out to anyone who's reviewed, favorited, or put this story on their alert list: LolaTheSa, Ryochanlover, Guest, heartluv, Rukatsumikaru, AliveAliceRocking122500, ScarletFire93, Waisk, hapiflower, reader713, sky dreamer97, spiritstar, ScarlettFire93, Tokishimo Rika, Mika Zaraki, Sweetgirl123, animefanfreak24.7, RikuDai, Maria-Reynne, Mist455, Mika Zaraki 141, , animefaves, kulietjoa, koichii, love-u-alwayz94, michelle88222, and anyone I've forgotten who has read this story._

_Be warned, this chapter has a lot of cursing._

_~Xanpluto_

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Sakuno wasn't sure how she managed to get Minako back to sleep but somehow she had. Rei, her extremely perceptive babysitter, had left in a hurry so now it was only Ryoma and Sakuno sitting downstairs. More specifically, Ryoma was sitting and Sakuno was twittering her fingers and hovering above him. Finally, Ryoma appeased her.

"Just to be absolutely clear...

"She's yours." Sakuno answered nervously.

"From that one time?"

"We didn't have protection."

"But it was the first time."

"That's a myth."

Ryoma was silent for a moment then spoke, "She's...

"Just turned five."

"Her birthday?"

"January 21st."

"Her mother?"

"Me."

"Her father?"

"You."

"Everyone else knows?"

"No one knows." Ryoma looked at her questioningly, "Grandma and Tomoka have their suspicions but no one else. I've been careful to keep her away from anyone who knows you."

"Why?"

"I didn't want a scandal to ruin your career."

"But she'd my child." Ryoma said. He was starting to get angry now. Ryoma Echizen, The Prince of Tennis, was starting to get unexplainably angry.

"I know, it was bad."

"Bad? Bad doesn't even begin to describe it. I was an 18 year old parent and I didn't know it. You didn't have any right to hide it from me." He said in disbelief. Then he was angry again. Then he was confused. And finally he returned to anger.

Sakuno just watched the emotions change on his face, surprised she could even read his emotions at all.

"What does she know?"

"Nothing."

"So, she thinks her dad abandoned her? She thinks I'm some prat. Some horrible, irresponsible kid?"

"I never..."

"Sakuno, you made her think her father doesn't love her! You didn't even give me the chance to make that decision for myself." Ryoma got to his feet with lightning speed; his face barely containing his normal expression. "I need some fresh air." Ryoma stormed out of the house as she gave a thundering sob.

Ryoma didn't know what had gotten into him but he was pissed. More angry then he'd even been before. His feelings couldn't even hide under the rim of his Fila cap per usual. He couldn't hide them at all. Ryoma didn't know what to do or where to go.

His parents had moved years ago and Ryoma couldn't navigate to their new house in the state he was now. Plus, he didn't want to deal with his mother's pestering or his father's congratulations about getting laid. Other then his parents, he didn't keep in contact with many people from Japan. He spoke to some of the middle school regulars on occasion but he didn't have their numbers in his current phone...except for Momo. He'd spoken to Momo a few days ago.

Ryoma found Momo in his contacts list easily enough. He dialed the number and wasn't surprised to hear a women answer the phone.

"Hello."

"Momo?"

"Who's calling?"

"Echizen."

"Oh, just a moment." Ryoma could hear the woman calling Momo in the background, "It's Ryoma and he sounds like he's in one of those foul moods again."

"Hey Ryoma, what's up?" Momo said grabbing the phone with a jolly laugh.

"I need help." Normally Momo would have made fun of Ryoma for asking for help but he could tell this was not the time for jests.

"With what?"

"I got Sakuno pregnant."

"Who?"

"Sakuno Ryuzaki."

"WHAT?! The coach's daughter. You've been in Japan for like two days, how did you manage to pull that off?"

"No, you don't...you don't get it." Ryoma found himself tripping over his words. He didn't have experience telling other people important things given he preferred not to tell people anything at all-it was a waste of time. This time it was different. For once in his life, Ryoma Echizen didn't know what to do and needed someone to listen to him.

"I'm a father. I have a fucking five year old daughter."

"Shit." Momo said in surprise. Five years ago he'd still been wondering if Ryoma was gay or asexual. But no, he was actually having sex right under everyones' noses. Worse, he'd gotten the coach's granddaughter pregnant. That was juicy, unexpected news. However, now was not the time for Momo to be thinking that. Right now Momo knew that Ryoma was about to have a full fledged breakdown-something he would have thought impossible ten minutes ago.

"Where are you?"

Ryoma looked around. He hadn't noticed where he'd wandered off to until now. "Haoiki Street. There's some business called Overtime."

"Ryoma, listen to me. Ann and I will come pick you up. Just stay put and don't do anything stupid. Alright?"

"Yes."

"Good, we're on our way."

Momo hung up the phone and he and Ann, who was eavesdropping, hurried towards their car. It was barely thirty minutes before they found Ryoma and despite their advice he had already done something stupid. It turned out, to their complete displeasure, that Overtime was a bar.

"Dammit Ryoma, how much did you drink?" Momo stared at the empty bottles sitting in front of Ryoma. He knew Ryoma didn't regularly drink and just a few bottles of beer would likely turn him to jelly.

"I'll go pay for them." Ann said leaving Momo to get Ryoma to the car.

"She wasn't even going to tell me." Ryoma's lips had been greatly loosened from the alcohol and he continued uncharacteristically. "I had to follow her out of the restaurant. I have a daughter, a fucking daughter. She's five. I've had a daughter for more than five years. I know it's true. She looks exactly like me. Why the fuck would Sakuno lie about that?"

"C'mon Ryoma." Momo said forcing his friend's arm around his shoulder and helping him walk out.

"I have a daughter. Sakuno and I had sex and now we have a daughter. The coach is going to kill me! I deflowered her fucking daughter. I got her pregnant. Oh God help me."

"She'd not going to kill you." Momo said supportively. He didn't necessarily believe his own words, Sumire was especially protective of Sakuno, but Ryoma didn't need to know that. Right now Ryoma needed to be somewhere safe where he could sleep off the alcohol and his stress.

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_Did you expect that reaction? __What should Ryoma do next?_

_Tell me what you think in a review._


	4. Chapter 4

_Hello again, thanks everyone for the great reviews and interest. I'm glad you're all enjoying this story so much. I hope this chapter does not disappoint and you continue until the end._

_~Xanpluto _

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Ryoma awoke with a pounding headache. He'd had the flu as a child and spent a week in bed without tennis, this was nearly as bad. His head pounded endlessly and he knew why...he knew exactly why. He'd downed so many beers at the bar...after receiving shocking news. Shocking news about his daughter.

Ryoma swung his feet over the edge of the bed and saw his phone lighting up. He groaned, there was four missed calls from his parents. His dad was probably just calling to harass him; it wasn't unusual for him to call repeatedly. There was also three missed calls from his manager, Sunji. Whatever it was, Ryoma wasn't in the mood to deal with it. Instead, he threw his phone carelessly into his pocket and stood up to find the washroom.

He'd never been in Momo's apartment but given it only had two bedrooms and one bath it didn't take long for Ryoma to shuffle to the sink and splash water in his face. At that, he felt a little better. Not much, but a little.

"Ryoma?" A soft voice said while knocking on the door.

"Hn." He said opening the door to Ann's concerned face.

"I'm making lunch."

"Lunch."

"It's nearly one in the afternoon. You've been sleeping for a long time."

Ryoma groaned. Yes, he loved sleep, but because of his hectic schedule his body had become accustomed to getting up before eight every day. He hadn't slept past noon since high school.

"Hey Ryoma, come join the world of the living." Momo's voice shouted from down the hall and he winced.

"Be quiet he's hung over." Ann shouted at her husband just as loud. Yes, they certainly were made for each other. Ann turned back to Ryoma and said softly, "Let's go to the kitchen and talk."

Ryoma let her pull him there. She placed him on a stool and went to the other side of the counter to finish cooking. Momo pulled up the stool next to him and stared him up and down thoroughly. Once again, he was shocked to see Ryoma as he was now. He wasn't even quite sure where to begin. Finally, he just approached the situation the way he imagined Ryoma would: bluntly.

"You got Sakuno Ryuzaki pregnant."

Ryoma nodded. The expression on his face was blank and distant.

"Want to explain that for me."

Ryoma sighed. No, he did not want to explain it. He didn't like explaining things. Yet, the words were already flowing from his mouth in a flat, unemotional voice, "It was after the graduation party. The juice was spiked. I took her home. We had sex. Aside from yesterday, that was the last time I saw or spoke to her."

"You had sex and then bolted?" Momo asked. He knew Echizen had been naive and stupid when he was younger, but he definitely didn't seem like the type to have sex and then ditch a girl.

Ryoma again wished he had his Fila cap to hide under. He knew how bad the story sounded. That was one of the reasons he'd never contacted Sakuno. He didn't know how to apologize for being such a bastard back then. "I left for a tour five days later."

"That's no excuse, man."

"I know!" Ryoma shouted. The situation and his headache were making him act irrational again. "I was a punk, okay? Even I know that, but she was the one who got pregnant and didn't tell me. She kept it a secret for six years! She wanted to keep it even longer! How could she do that?"

"If you want my opinion," Ann said as she pushed a plate of food towards him, "You never stopped being a punk." The frustration in her voice was alarming to both Momo and Ryoma.

"Ann, I don't think that's fair -

"No, listen." Ann interrupted her husband, "Ryoma, I get you're going through shock right now but consider this: Sakuno has been a single parent for nearly six years. It hasn't been easy for her either. She's had almost no family to support her, she's stopped seeing most of her friends, and she gave up on her dreams. Perhaps it was stupid, but she was probably always thinking of you when she made her choices. With that knowledge you at least owe it to her to hear her out, hear the whole story."

Ryoma was quiet. Outside of the court, he'd never been very good at thinking through another person's perspective. Ann was right, Sakuno had been alone. He remembered her crying last night about how she didn't want to ruin his career. She'd chosen to be alone for his benefit. It was stupid! Ryoma wouldn't let having a child effect his career. Yet his realization lessened his angry slightly.

"You sound like you know something?" Momo asked Ann in suspicion. He also recognized the value of her words but he knew his wife well enough to know she was hiding something.

"You know my brother works with Horio. When I go get lunch with him at work I sometimes run into his wife, Tomoka. She's good friends with Sakuno and I've picked up a few things here and there. I knew Sakuno had a kid out of high school and was too embarrassed about it to see any of her old friends." Neither Ryoma nor Momo had anything to add so she kept talking. "I also know that she has been going through a rough time lately with her family."

"What do you mean?"

"Her dad died when she was young, her mom died after she graduation high school, and her only living family, Sumire, had some huge scare and has been in the hospital for ages."

"What? I didn't hear about that." Momo said. He looked to Ryoma who looked equally surprised.

"Yes, it was sometime last year." Ann added in thought. "I thought you knew."

"I should really call the old lady." Momo said then looked at Ryoma, "No, you should call her! You're practically related now."

The conversation had taken a full circle back to Ryoma's large problems and he didn't know what to do about it. Instead he looked down at his untouched lunch feeling even more sick.

"Maybe we should take a break." Ann suggested. She felt a bit guilty about being so hard on Ryoma earlier considering how regretful he looked at the moment. "We can talk about it later."

"Yeah, there's a tennis game on!" Momo said once he realized his wife's intentions. "C'mon Ryoma, we can watch it in the other room." Ryoma let himself be pulled into the living room and sat down on the couch. Even though the tennis game was playing on a large screen ten feet away from him, for perhaps the first time in his life, he didn't care. He was too preoccupied with his own thoughts and problems to give a damn about tennis and this thought scared him more. Since when did something become more important than tennis?

It must have been another twenty minutes before Ryoma heard a familiar voice. A voice he knew distinctly as his own; his head shot up. It was a commercial break and the sports channel was doing a blurb on tennis gossip. His gossip to be more exact.

"_I have a daughter. Sakuno and I had sex and now we have a daughter. The coach is going to kill me! I deflowered her -BEEP- daughter. I got her pregnant. Oh God help me."_

_Yup, you heard that right. Ryoma Echizen, Japan's leading tennis player, was recorded last night having an outburst about his newly discovered daughter. Who knew this stoic player had such a wild past. While he has been sighted with several girls in the last few years our interns have tracked down the mother as one of Ryoma's high school classmates. The Prince of Tennis discovered last night that he has a five year old daughter. How will this news effect his game? With the Kanichi Tournament coming up only time will tell."_

Momo clicked off the television as soon as the segment ended. Ann jumped up and ran to another room without a word. Ryoma just sat there looking pale and sick.

"Are you okay, Ryoma?"

Ryoma just looked at his friend blankly. He didn't know how he was supposed to feel. He was still trying to comprehend that he had a child and now he had to defend his actions to the world, too.

"Hey guys, you'll want to see this?" Ann shouted from the master bedroom and Ryoma and Momo went to her. She was sitting at a desk with her computer open and streaming a live feed from a news station. In it a newscaster stood outside a house with dozens of other paparazzi in the background.

"That's the coach's house." Momo confirmed.

"Yes, apparently the paparazzi have been outside it since nine trying to get a picture of your daughter." Ann stared at Ryoma as she said this. She wasn't exactly sure what reaction she wanted to see but she knew it was important for Ryoma to see this.

Ryoma felt a flood of adrenaline. His anger was fueled again, but this time it was directed at the paparazzi and not Sakuno nor himself. Sure, they invaded his personal life all the time, but they didn't have a right to do this to Sakuno and Minako. They didn't ask nor want to be famous.

"Give me your keys." Ryoma demanded of Momo.

"You sure you can drive?"

"I have to rescue them." Ryoma said with the same intensity as before. Momo and Ann smiled. It was very heroic of him and they were proud. Plus, he wasn't running away from his problems anymore.

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_Please continue to review, follow, and favorite...until next time, goodbye and be well_


	5. Chapter 5

_Thank you to all who have reviewed or read this far in the story. I haven't had much time lately so I hope you enjoy this short chapter and stick around for more - Xanpluto_

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Chapter 5

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Ryoma was at the coach's house within minutes. He knew the area well enough from his childhood that he took a backstreet and parked behind the house. There, he pulled out his cell phone to call Sakuno.

"Ryoma, I'm a little busy at the moment can I call you back later." Sakuno answered after several rings. Ryoma could tell from the sound of her voice that she was trying very hard to pretend that everything was normal.

"Sakuno, I'm coming in to get you."

"What? You're coming here?" Sakuno's voice cracked and her cool act was over.

"I'm coming through the back door; make sure it's unlocked."

"Now?"

"Now."

"Hai."

Ryoma got out of the car, leaped over the gate, and dashed through the backyard to the back door which Sakuno opened for him at the last moment. She slammed it shut again and locked it. Then she turned to the tall, silent form of Ryoma.

"I...I..."

Ryoma grabbed Sakuno by the shoulders and pulled her into his chest. He couldn't help himself. She looked terrified.

"Where is she?"

"Up...upstairs."

Ryoma held onto Sakuno's hand and pulled her up the stairs. He stopped momentarily at Minako's door to take a breath and then turned the doorknob. Minako seemed to be expecting them and was looking at the door with her big, cat eyes.

"You're back!" She said excitedly. "Mommy said you weren't coming back. Are you here to stop the people outside?"

"Hn." Ryoma nodded. He had absolutely no experience talking to younger children and had no idea how to act.

"Good. They make mommy cry."

"Hn."

"You're funny. You don't talk much. You remind me of this boy in my class. He just says yes or no to everything and most everyone thinks he's grumpy. I don't though. I think he's super shy and I really want to be his friend."

"Hn." Ryoma repeated. It seemed like his daughter was the exact opposite of him: she loved to talk.

"Minako," Sakuno began as she sensed Ryoma's awkwardness, "why don't you pack a bag with some clothes in it. We're going on a trip for a few days."

"They're not coming, right?" She asked while pointing outside.

"No, they aren't."

Within a few minutes the trio made their way towards the back door again. However, when Ryoma confidently opened it a flash went off in his face and he immediately slammed the door shut again.

"What are we going to do?"

Ryoma thought for a moment with a stoic, unreadable look on his face. Finally, he came to a decision. "Just stay here for a moment." He said and then walked out the back door and closed it behind him. Once again, cameras flashed in his face as he was swarmed by at least ten journalist. Apparently, his gossip was more popular than he believed it to be.

"Ryoma, Ryoma! How do you explain your reaction last night?" A microphone was pushed in front of his face. He didn't answer so more questions followed.

"Are you angry that Sakuno Ryuzaki kept this from you for so long?"

"Why are you here to rescue her if she lied to you?"

"What was your relationship with Sakuno like in high school?"

"Did Sakuno purposely seduce you six years ago to blackmail you for child support now?"

Ryoma had had enough. He was getting angry again. That rare anger that creeped its way onto his face and made his cheeks flare. It took all his might not to yell and he said with a glare, "Sakuno Ryozaki is not that type of girl. She's the nicest, most warm hearted person I've ever met. She, and my daughter, did not ask to be famous so get the hell off their lawn." The cameras were still focused on him so he repeated in a shout, "You're trespassing, go away before I call the police!"

This time the reporters did begin to step back but their cameras never changed directions. Ryoma groaned. He took off his jacket and opened the back door. "Come on." He said holding the jacket in front of Minako's face. Sakuno would have to shield her face herself. Right now, he thought it more important to keep his daughter's face hidden. She still had a chance at a normal childhood; this would probably blow over within a week.

The trio made their way towards the back fence astutely aware of the cameras on them. Ryoma unlocked the gate. A few steps more and they were at Momo's car. Ryoma waited for both of them to get in before crossing to the driver's side and sliding inside. He started the engine and sped out of the alley and through a maze of side streets until he was sure no one was following them.

Then, seeming to sense the danger was over, Minako simply asked, "Should I call you Ryoma or daddy?"

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_Thank you for reading, please review_


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